Prosciutto Pork Loin with Salsa Verde

I think I’ve sufficiently sung the praises of Pork Fillet (Tenderloin) in the past. It’s such a wonderful cut of meat that tastes great and can be used in so many different ways. Much of the time I will tend to slice it thinly and quickly pan-fry the medallions for a speedy dinner. Indeed, you need to cook it quickly as it’s so lean and will quickly dry out if you’re not careful.

It’s small size and lean nature also makes it ideal for a quick mid-week roast, should you find yourself in the mood. Providing your oven is hot you can get this to the table in under half an hour. Not easy with many other cuts of meat. Though as it is lacking in its own fat I do think it benefits from a protective coating as it’s being roasted. Here I’ve used prosciutto crudo and some sliced mushrooms, which bring flavour and much needed moisture.

It only takes about 25 minutes to roast, with a few minutes to rest afterwards. That said, I like my pork tenderloin served ever so slightly pink so increase the cooking time if you feel otherwise. I’d much rather have it this way that than overcooked, dry and fibrous but accept it’s not for everyone. If you have a meat thermometer you can always use that to give you some peace of mind…

Once it’s been cut into thick slices it’s then topped with a generous amount of freshly made salsa verde. This is a fresh, herbal sauce that sits so well with griddled and roast meats (and fish). It’s quick and easy to make and so much more than the sum of its parts. Though like many simple sauces it comes with a lot of flexibility – and many, many recipes. I’m not a fan of capers, so leave them out, but you could include a few if you preferred. You can also mix up the herb varieties if you wished – indeed keep experiementing until you find what works for you.

Prosciutto Pork Loin with Salsa Verde

This perfectly cooked, tender pork wrapped in salty ham and mushrooms works so well with the freshness of the salsa verde.

Prep Time15mins

Cook Time30mins

Total Time45mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Pork

Servings: 2

Ingredients

for the Salsa Verde

1Shallotpeeled and finely chopped

2tbspRed Wine Vinegar

4Anchovy Fillets

3tbspOlive Oil

½tspDijon Mustard

1Lemonzested

20gFresh Parsleyfinely chopped

20gFresh Basilfinely chopped

½tspSea Salt

½tspFreshly Ground Black Pepper

for the Pork Loin

6slicesProsciutto Crudo

100gMushroomssliced

450gPork Fillet (Tenderloin)whole

1tbspOlive Oil

1pinchSea Salt

1pinchFreshly Ground Black Pepper

Instructions

Make the Salsa Verde

Put the finely chopped shallot in a bowl and pour over the red wine vinegar. Leave for a few minutes – the vinegar will reduce the harshness of the shallots.

Put the anchovy fillets into a separate bowl and mash with the back of a spoon until they form a thick paste. Add in the olive oil, mustard and lemon zest and mix well.

Add in the shallots, chopped herbs and seasoning then mix until everything is well combined. Cover and leave to infuse at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Roast the Pork

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C

Lay out the slices of prosciutto crudo on a board and top with the sliced mushrooms.

Brush the pork fillet with the olive oil and season well. Place the pork on top of the prosciutto then wrap the slices around the fillet. Place it, seam side down, in a roasting tray.

Put into the oven and roast for 25 minutes until the prosciutto is slightly crisp and the pork cooked through. This will leave it slightly pink, so add a few minutes if you’re not comfortable with it being served that way. You can always test it with a meat thermometer too if you’re unsure.

When cooked, remove from the oven and cover with foil. Leave it to rest for a few minutes before carving.

Cut the pork fillet into generous slices and serve drizzled with the salsa verde.